The future is not pretty for the Funny Bone, which filed for bankruptcy. But patient comedy fans are going to get the last laugh.
Pat Mac, who spent three years as the Funny Bone's general manager, quit earlier this week.
He had this to say a day later.
"Comedy will never leave Boise," Mac said. "That's one thing I can say. Boise will never be without comedy."
How can he be certain? Perhaps Mac is suggesting that, if the Funny Bone closes, someone else might open a fresh comedy club?
"Can't answer at this time," Mac said with a laugh.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
I don't know about you, but I have hint radar. And it would make sense. A new beginning would be a nice ending to a Funny Bone tale that, in recent weeks, has been mostly tragic comedy.
BoDo Partners threatened to evict the Funny Bone in September for failing to pay more than $40,000 in lease payments and other accumulated charges. Michael Kohn, whose St. Louis-based company owns the Funny Bone in Boise and eight other locations across the nation, said there was no choice but to file a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition.
Idaho State Police came and removed the Boise Funny Bone's liquor license last week. (You can still get wine and beer.) Manager Brian Lee, who will be handling day-to-day operations through the end of the year, described the club's situation as "month to month."
As a multi-state operation, the Funny Bone is looking a bit like a joke. Check out the MySpace page of comic Peter Berman for a long-winded rant about Kohn not paying him for performing at a Reno, Nev., Funny Bone in September.
I'm guessing that the Boise Funny Bone will bail on Idaho in January. I'm betting that a new comedy club replaces it in a different location (but not in BoDo with its tough-to-handle rent prices.)
And with new leadership, I'm hoping that everybody is smiling again sooner rather than later at Boise's comedy club - wherever it is, whatever it's called.
ENTERTAINMENT NOTES
Maybe it was the fact I'd reunited with high school buddies. Maybe it was because I sneaked into the Portland Rose Garden without my ticket in hand. (Not planned or recommended, it just happened but was sooo "Detroit Rock City.") Whatever the case, I had so much fun seeing Van Halen perform in Oregon last weekend that it shocked me.
Remember when I wrote that Beyonce coming to Boise was a bigger deal than Van Halen's reunion?
I was dead wrong.
Van Halen rocked. David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen looked fit and jubilant. They sounded killer. ("Jamie's Cryin' " was off the hook.) Roth, who took over in a good way, told a funny suburbia story and played acoustic guitar for "Ice Cream Man." The gigantic, packed Rose Garden was magical.
You felt bad that bassist Michael Anthony wasn't there to feel the joy. (Eddie's son Wolfie, 16, sounded fine but has lousy stage presence. He's a kid.)
No matter. If you get the chance to see this exceptional reunion - let's hope it comes to the Treasure Valley - jump.
The Big Easy is reviving Wednesday dance nights with a mysteriously spelled name pronounced "energy." Alrighty then. The DJ will take a bit-of-everything-for-everybody approach: Top 40/rock/country/hip-hop. Dance nights will start at 9 p.m. - always - and be open to anyone with a valid driver's license, aka 16 or older.
Sound Tribe Sector 9 will play The Big Easy on Jan. 23, 2008. ... Job for a Cowboy and the Red Chord will be at The Venue on Jan. 28. ... The North Mississippi Allstars will play The Big Easy on Feb. 5. ... Also - as if the Funny Bone needs competition - The Big Easy will welcome comedians Drew Hastings (March 7) and Josh Blue (April 18.) Better yet, insult comic Lisa Lampinelli will play the Morrison Center on Feb. 17, according to her Web site and Pollstar.
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